Cyclones in Madagascar
Cyclones occurfrequently in Madagascar. On average, they happen about 6 times a year. The hardest hit regions are Analanjirofo, Atsimo-Andrefana and Atsinanana.The typical cyclone season depends on the summer monsoon. In the months before (May to June) and after (October to November), the most severe storms occur.
The most severe cyclone to make landfall in Madagascar in the past 12 months was »Batsirai«. It reached a wind speed of up to 183 km/h on February 5, 2022 at 9:00 pm local time near Mananjary and was 5 kilometers in diameter at the time. According to the internationally accepted Saffir-Simpson classification, this corresponded to a category 3 cyclone. On the open sea, speeds of up to 230 km/h were even measured (category 4).
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Current satellite image of the Indian Ocean
20.05.2022 © CIMSS University of Wisconsin-Madison
Most violent cyclones in Madagascar since 2018
Jasmine: 24th to 28th April 2022
Wind speed:
max. 100 km/h
Diameter:
max. 963 km
Air pressure:
below 984 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Atsimo-Andrefana
Atsimo-Atsinanana
Atsimo-Andrefana
Atsimo-Atsinanana
Gombe: 8th to 14th March 2022
Wind speed:
max. 183 km/h
on land:
max. 59 km/h
Diameter:
max. 111 km
Air pressure:
below 959 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
Affected regions
Analanjirofo
Sofia
Analanjirofo
Sofia
Emnati: 16th to 24th February 2022
Wind speed:
max. 213 km/h
on land:
max. 130 km/h
Diameter:
max. 296 km
Air pressure:
below 941 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
Affected regions
Vatovavy Fitovinany
Atsimo-Atsinanana
Androy
Vatovavy Fitovinany
Atsimo-Atsinanana
Androy
Dumako: 13th to 16th February 2022
Wind speed:
max. 94 km/h
on land:
max. 78 km/h
Diameter:
max. 93 km
Air pressure:
below 995 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Analanjirofo
Atsinanana
Alaotra Mangoro
Betsiboka
Boeny
Melaky
Analanjirofo
Atsinanana
Alaotra Mangoro
Betsiboka
Boeny
Melaky
Batsirai: 27th January to 8th February 2022
Wind speed:
max. 230 km/h
on land:
max. 183 km/h
Diameter:
max. 259 km
Air pressure:
below 932 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
Affected regions
Vatovavy Fitovinany
Upper Matsiatra
Atsimo-Andrefana
Vatovavy Fitovinany
Upper Matsiatra
Atsimo-Andrefana
Ana: 23rd to 25th January 2022
Wind speed:
max. 93 km/h
Diameter:
max. 148 km
Air pressure:
below 993 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall. On January 23rd, 2022 at 3:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 183 km northeast of Mahabe in Melaky.
Jobo: 21st to 24th April 2021
Wind speed:
max. 102 km/h
Diameter:
max. 93 km
Air pressure:
below 995 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall. On April 21st, 2021 at 3:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 270 km north of Antsiranana in Diana.
Eloise: 17th to 21st January 2021
Wind speed:
max. 94 km/h
on land:
max. 83 km/h
Diameter:
max. 370 km
Air pressure:
below 994 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Analanjirofo
Analanjirofo
Chalane: 25th to 30th December 2020
Wind speed:
max. 111 km/h
on land:
max. 65 km/h
Diameter:
max. 241 km
Air pressure:
below 990 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Analanjirofo
Alaotra Mangoro
Analamanga
Bongolava
Menabe
Analanjirofo
Alaotra Mangoro
Analamanga
Bongolava
Menabe
Herold: 12th to 21st March 2020
Wind speed:
max. 185 km/h
Diameter:
max. 222 km
Eye:
max. 111 km
Air pressure:
below 955 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
The cyclone did not make direct landfall. On March 14th, 2020 at 9:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 70 km west of Antalaha in Sava.
Francisco: 3rd to 15th February 2020
Wind speed:
max. 83 km/h
on land:
max. 74 km/h
Diameter:
max. 185 km
Air pressure:
below 993 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Atsinanana
Atsinanana
Diane: 22nd to 29th January 2020
Wind speed:
max. 102 km/h
on land:
max. 56 km/h
Diameter:
max. 444 km
Air pressure:
below 985 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Melaky
Boeny
Betsiboka
Alaotra Mangoro
Atsinanana
Melaky
Boeny
Betsiboka
Alaotra Mangoro
Atsinanana
Calvinia: 17th December 2019 to 3rd January 2020
Wind speed:
max. 139 km/h
Diameter:
max. 444 km
Air pressure:
below 970 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The cyclone did not make direct landfall. On December 25th, 2019 at 3:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 266 km west of Antsiranana in Diana.
Belna: 2nd to 11th December 2019
Wind speed:
max. 189 km/h
on land:
max. 93 km/h
Diameter:
max. 204 km
Eye:
max. 37 km
Air pressure:
below 957 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
Affected regions
Menabe
Atsimo-Andrefana
Menabe
Atsimo-Andrefana
Kenneth: 21st to 28th April 2019
Wind speed:
max. 226 km/h
Diameter:
max. 148 km
Eye:
max. 37 km
Air pressure:
below 934 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
The cyclone did not make direct landfall. On April 23rd, 2019 at 3:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 200 km north of Antsiranana in Diana.
Idai: 4th to 16th March 2019
Wind speed:
max. 213 km/h
Diameter:
max. 185 km
Eye:
max. 74 km
Air pressure:
below 940 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
The cyclone did not make direct landfall. On March 11th, 2019 at 12:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 132 km northeast of Maintirano in Melaky.
Gelena: 4th to 16th February 2019
Wind speed:
max. 217 km/h
Diameter:
max. 222 km
Eye:
max. 74 km
Air pressure:
below 942 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
The cyclone did not make direct landfall. On February 06th, 2019 at 9:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 385 km northwest of Sambava in Sava.
Eketsang: 23rd to 26th January 2019
Wind speed:
max. 74 km/h
Diameter:
max. 219 km
Air pressure:
below 992 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall. On January 25th, 2019 at 3:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 180 km south of Tranovaho in Androy.
Desmond: 17th to 22nd January 2019
Wind speed:
max. 83 km/h
Diameter:
max. 296 km
Air pressure:
below 989 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The cyclone did not make direct landfall. On January 20th, 2019 at 3:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 486 km east of Toliara in Atsimo-Andrefana.
These evaluations are based on data from the National Centers for Environmental Information of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Individual data have been summarized or translated.
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